Everything and Nothing

---

---

Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Following 1999's IDead Bees On A Cake/I, IEverything and Nothing/I is a collection of singles, live sessions and oddities from the David Sylvian back catalogue. Since severing connections with cult 1970s/80s band, Japan, Sylvian has continued to probe the underbelly of rock/pop with often arresting results. Many of the songs here have been reworked for this collection but these updated interpretations don't detract from any of the tender, deeply melancholic poetry of the originals. A serial collaborator, IEverything and Nothing/I draws upon material from all his albums, including 1991's IRain Tree Crow/I (with Japan members Richard Barbieri and Steve Jansen), the 1986 Ryuichi Sakamoto album IHeartbeat/I and 1989's ISecrets Of The Beehive/I. In a wonderful coup for cult followers, IEverything and Nothing/I also features the complete version of the lost Japan tune "Some Kind Of Fool", intended for IGentlemen Take Poloraids/I. However, as so much of what Sylvian achieved with Japan was built on artifice, it is refreshing to hear him in a stripped down arena. The opening "The Scent of Magnolia"--part electronica, part rock--glides with a subtlety and nous that puts many practitioners in both fields to shame, while "Albuquerque" sustains a gorgeous balance between conceptual boldness and engaging melody. IEverything and Nothing/I is a good way to sample and celebrate Sylvian in shape-shifting form. He ducks in and out of focus, between rugged ballads (the infamous "Ghosts"), avant-garde jazz ("God's Monkey") and--on a couple of tracks where the multi-instrumental backing is dropped for synthesisers--a successful glossy pop. --IMaxine Kabuubi/I

---

Customer reviews

review by: Alice Collector date: 2008-05-26 rating:
The World's biggest Sylvian collector
No not me but my mate who has literally 1000s of items on Japan and Sylvian and even the bands who ex Japans played on. br /What's missing here though is Some small hope-a duet with Virginia Astley which in keeping with her music is now pretty rare. br /Much of his music is uncommercial and the first Japan album Adolescent Sex is virtually unlistenable for me. br /Which is why I prefer his few covers.All tomorrow's parties is the greatest and his version of I second that emotions indicates that Sylvian should have done an entire album of Motown covers. br /In the States neither he nor Japan troubled the Top 100 and are seen as Cults.Maybe hard to figure out as the stuff he did with Riuchi Sakamoto is top class br /His last album-Blemish- not even my super collecting Sylvian mate reckoned much for and having heard it all I can say is that maybe he needs to seriously follow the example of Bryan Ferry and get some covers going

---

review by: BassPlayerFromRazorCuts date: 2007-11-03 rating:
Good stuff but................................................
How can you have a 'best of david sylvian' without including 'before the bullfight'? which is one of the best songs ever written EVER sounds perfect too!

---

review by: date: 2007-01-04 rating:
Turn the light on - Please!
Twenty years of David Sylvian stumbling through the dark looking for a vocal line. Luckily someone turned the light on for Orpheus, Buoy, Ghosts and Let the happiness in. Unfortunately, most of the tracks are so painfully tuneless, I want to track down David Sylvian and give him a thump.

---

review by: music fan not pop fan date: 2006-08-26 rating:
sylvian the master
Been a sylvian fan since 1978 when everybody was into 70's glam rock and the start of the punk era when it was fashion to be listening to the so called in music.Japan came along and what a breath of fresh air from The Tenant right up to the classic Ghostsin the 80's,then the concert in the hammersmith so brilliant words fail to describe it you had to be their.Then it was over the dream gone but it was not,sylvian came back with Brilliant Trees album the song writing and the way it was produced was un real a true master at work best eva until this album which i had when it was first released. br / Everything and Nothing is a double cd with breath taking tracks its a collection of tracks from other albums but its a must album for every Sylvian fan, all the tracks follow each other like a story or dialog from a film it just fantastic.Give your ears a taste of true brilliance a true master a work. br / If non Sylvian fans read this all i say to you is get of that pop rilway line and treat yourself to a true master a work. br / If you want to know why it has took 6yrs to write this it's simple all good things take time.


review by: grandstickinsect date: 2004-08-20 rating:
A missed oppourtunity!
The 'David Sylvian' thing is so hard to justify, compartmentalise and explain to the uninitiated. A career spanning 27 years, from glam rock, Bryan Ferry/ David bowie wannabee, to one of the most interesting and important artists of the last 20 years.brThis collection sets itself up to be a 'best of' type collection of all sorts of stuff. It is far from that. If you are new to Sylvian, then I would approach with caution. This collection, while on the most part good, is not a representation of his best work. This collection is more of a clean up and different presentation of old songs( most of which, didn't need it, or else,were no better because of it). brThere are tracks which justify the purchase price. The long since deleted 'pop song', the sublime 'bamboo music', the Gone to Earth outake 'ride' and the haunting 'cover me with flowers'. brIf you are a Sylvian fan you will already own this set and, no doubt, have your own opinion.br If however, you are new to the artist, then there are 4 albums to start with. Brilliant Trees, Gone to Earth, Secrets of the beehive and Dead Bees on a Cake. Come to Everything and Nothing after you have spent many years absorbing these. I promise your life will be better for it.

---

Similar products

Brilliant Trees
Secrets of the Beehive
Dead Bees on a Cake
Gone to Earth
Alchemy: An Index of Possibilities

---

Similar categories

Music . Styles . Pop . Bestsellers
Music . Styles . Pop . General AAS
Music . Styles . Rock . General AAS
Music . Styles . Indie
Music . Styles . Dance Electronic . Ambient
Music . Styles . Adult Contemporary . Bestsellers
Music . Styles . Adult Contemporary . Male Vocalists
Music . Refinements . Format (binding_browse-bin) . Box Set
Music . Refinements . Format (binding_browse-bin) . CD . CD Album

---